Commissioner: 97 Percent of Clendenin Elementary Damaged

Authorities say that almost all of Clendenin Elementary School has sustained flood damage.

Kanawha County Commissioner Dave Hardy tells local media about 97 percent of the school was damaged during last month’s floods.

Kanawha schools Superintendent Ron Deurring says school officials will first need to speak with Federal Emergency Management Agency officials before determining when or if the school will reopen.

Whenever a building is more than 50 percent damaged, it has to be brought into compliance with national flood insurance policy. Deurring says it will cost about $3.6 million to repair the building — a cost that doesn’t include bringing it up to current codes.

Clendenin students are planned to attend six to eight portable classrooms in front of Bridge Elementary when the school year starts Aug. 8.